Critical Protection for American Bison

Colorado has officially passed a law designating bison as both livestock and wildlife, which helps protect the species and recognizes its cultural significance.

“A bison treated as wildlife is a bison treated with the respect and care that it deserves. This achievement for our herds in Colorado honors our Indigenous communities and their relationship with this revered animal, and once again highlights Colorado’s steadfast commitment to the animals that call our landscapes home,” says Michael Saul, director of Defenders of Wildlife’s Rockies and Plains Program.

Once driven to the brink of extinction, the American bison will officially be protected across Colorado thanks to new legislation that ensures regional cooperation between locals, state and federal agencies, and Indigenous tribes. Pressing issues, such as grassland stewardship and disease management, are to be adequately addressed by the Colorado Parks and Wildlife Services, which will now take an active role in the conservation of all bison populations in the state. The new legislation – signed by Governor Jared Polis and entitled “Protect Wild Bison” – sets a precedent in that bison are now expected to be treated as both a natural and a cultural treasure.